Lesson 34: Elijah and the False Prophets of Baal, Primary 6:
Old Testament, (1996),149
Slide 4
Slide 5
When Joseph Smith needed help, he prayed to our Heavenly Father
in the name of Jesus Christ, and his prayer was answered.
Slide 6
Heavenly Father has the power to hear our prayers and answer
them. Like Joseph Smith, we should pray to Heavenly Father in the
name of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Slide 7
A rock cannot hear or answer prayers. It has no power, no life,
no personality, and no feelings, and it cannot give or show love.
We will learn about how Elijah tried to teach the Israelites to
worship and pray to Heavenly Father instead of nonliving objects or
graven images.
Slide 8
Slide 9
Elijah was a prophet of God. He had the power of the priesthood
and the power of God. Many wicked people in the kingdom of Israel
worshiped an idol named Baal. There were 850 priests of Baal. They
were wicked priests.
Slide 10
The prophet Elijah talked to King Ahab. He told Ahab to bring
all his people to a mountain. Elijah wanted the wicked priests of
Baal to come, too. Elijah said they must choose to worship God or
Baal. They could not worship both. It is wicked to worship
idols.
Slide 11
Elijah wanted to show the people that idols have no power. He
asked for two bulls for a sacrifice and some wood. Elijah gave a
bull and some of the wood to the priests of Baal. He kept a bull
and some wood for his sacrifice.
Slide 12
The wicked priests prayed to Baal all morning. They jumped on
the altar and shouted. Baal did not answer. Baal was only an idol.
Elijah told the priests not to burn the sacrifice. He told the
priests to pray to their idol. He said Baal must burn the
sacrifice.
Slide 13
Elijah told the priests to pray louder. He made fun of them. He
said their idol must be sleeping. The wicked priests prayed louder
and louder. They prayed all day. Baal did not answer. The priests
sacrifice did not burn.
Slide 14
Elijah told the people to come close to him. Elijah told them
he would pray to God. He said God would send fire down from heaven.
God would burn his sacrifice. Elijah built an altar of stones. He
dug around the altar. Elijah put the bull and some wood on the
altar.
Slide 15
Elijah asked men to bring twelve barrels of water. He told them
to pour the water on the sacrifice. They poured the water on the
sacrifice. Elijah prayed to God. Elijah wanted the people to
worship God. He asked God to help him.
Slide 16
God sent fire down from heaven. The fire burned Elijahs
sacrifice. It burned the wood and the stones. It dried up all the
water. The people saw the power of God. They knew the idols had no
power. All the wicked priests of Baal were killed.
Slide 17
King Ahab had a wicked wife named Jezebel. Jezebel heard what
Elijah did. She sent a man to Elijah. The man said Jezebel would
kill Elijah. Elijah went into the wilderness so Jezebel could not
kill him. He found a place to hide and slept under a tree.
Slide 18
An angel came to Elijah and gave him food and water. Elijah ate
and lay down again. The angel came again. He told Elijah to eat
more and said Elijah would travel a long way. Elijah ate and drank
again.
Slide 19
Elijah traveled 40 days and 40 nights. He fasted. He did not
eat or drink. Elijah went to the mountain where Moses had seen the
burning bush.
Slide 20
They killed Gods prophets. Elijah was the only prophet who had
not been killed. The people wanted to kill him, too. Elijah lived
in a cave in the mountain. God asked him what he was doing there.
Elijah said the people did not obey Gods commandments.
Slide 21
God told Elijah to stand on the mountain. A strong wind blew.
It was so strong it broke rocks into pieces. After the wind there
was an earthquake. Then there was a fire. After the fire Elijah
heard a quiet voice. He knew it was the voice of Jesus Christ.
Slide 22
Jesus came to Elijah and talked to him. Jesus said he would
choose a new prophet named Elisha. Jesus said he would choose a new
prophet named Elisha. Elisha had followed Elijah for many years.
Elijah and Elisha went to the Jordan River. Elijah hit the water
with his coat. The water divided. They walked through on dry
land.
Slide 23
Elijah and Elisha walked and talked together. Elisha wanted the
Holy Ghost to be with him. Elisha became the prophet. He had the
power of the priesthood. He had the power of God. As Elijah went to
heaven, he dropped his coat on the ground. Elisha picked it
up.
Slide 24
Elisha went back to the Jordan River. He hit the water with
Elijahs coat. The water divided. Elisha walked through on dry land.
Some righteous Israelites met him. They knew Elisha was the new
prophet.
Slide 25
The prophet Elijah had sealed the heavens so it would not rain.
Whom did Ahab blame for the drought? Lets read 1 Kings 18:17 What
did Elijah say was the cause of the drought? Lets read 1 Kings
18:18
Slide 26
Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had led the Israelites away from
Heavenly Father and were worshiping a false god, an idol named Baal
(see Baal in the LDS Bible Dictionary [p. 617]). The drought had
caused a great famine in the land, and Ahab and his people were
having a hard time finding water for their crops and animals.
Slide 27
Why does the Lord sometimes allow drought and other natural
disasters to happen? Sometimes bad things are a normal part of
life, but they may also warn us to repent and worship Heavenly
Father. They may also be signs that warn us to prepare for the
Second Coming.
Slide 28
What did Elijah want the people to do? He knew they could not
serve both Baal and the Lord and that he wanted the Israelites to
decide whom they were going to worship. After Elijah had gathered
together the people of Israel and the false prophets, what question
did he ask the people? Lets read 1 Kings 18:21
Slide 29
Lets role play the story of Elijah and the priests of Baal.
Enrichment Activity #1
Slide 30
Why is it important for us to decide now to worship Heavenly
Father? How do we worship Heavenly Father?
Slide 31
Lets divide the class into groups with two or three in each
group. Enrichment Activity #2 You will have two or three minutes to
write down as many things as you can to answer the following
question: What are some things we do to worship Heavenly Father?
What ideas did you come up with?
Slide 32
Why is it important to worship Heavenly Father every day and
make him an important part of our lives? Enrichment Activity #2
Write down some of these ideas on a piece of paper to take home and
share with your family.
Slide 33
What do people worship today, perhaps without even realizing
they are doing so?
Slide 34
How do some people place too much value on such things? What
can we do to avoid worshiping worldly things or making them too
important in our lives? Enrichment Activity #5 Im going to draw a
big rock on the board. Take turns choosing one of the word strips
and attach it to the rock.
Slide 35
How can we put Heavenly Father and what he wants us to do first
in our lives? Lets memorize a part of 1 Kings 18:21 : How long halt
ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him. Is it
important to decide now to always worship Heavenly Father and to
not allow other things to pull us away from him? Enrichment
Activity #5
Slide 36
We worship what is most important to us. This is why the Savior
said, Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye
first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his
righteousness (Matthew 6:33, footnote a). We should place Heavenly
Father first in our lives so we will worship him. If anything else
is more important to us, it is an idol or false god.
Slide 37
What contest did Elijah suggest to prove to the people whom
they should worship? Lets read 1 Kings 18:2324 How many prophets of
the Lord were there that day? How many prophets of Baal? Lets read
1 Kings 18:22 Why did Elijah have more power than the prophets of
Baal, even though he was outnumbered?
Slide 38
Lets read 1 Kings 18:29 Why didnt Baal answer the false
prophets prayers and send down fire? What happened when the false
prophets called upon Baal?
Slide 39
When it was Elijahs turn, why do you think he made it more
difficult for the sacrifice to burn? Lets read 1 Kings 18:3235 He
wanted to prove without question the power of God.
Slide 40
Lets read 1 Kings 18:3638 What happens when we pray to Heavenly
Father? He hears our prayers and answers them according to our
faith and his will but our answers do not usually come as
dramatically as Elijahs. What happened when Elijah prayed to
Heavenly Father?
Slide 41
What did the people do when the contest was over? Lets read 1
Kings 18:39
Slide 42
Although it began to rain and the drought was over, Jezebel was
angry with Elijah and vowed to kill him (see 1 Kings 19:2). Elijah
fled into the wilderness, and while he was there the Lord spoke to
him. How did the Lord talk to Elijah? Lets read 1 Kings
19:1113
Slide 43
How do we receive messages from the Lord? We pray to Heavenly
Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and our answers come through
the Holy Ghost, usually as a peaceful thought in our minds or a
warm feeling in our hearts. By praying to Heavenly Father and
listening for and obeying the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost,
we are worshiping our Heavenly Father.
Slide 44
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus
Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Enrichment Activity #3
Slide 45
Heavenly Father is the Father of our spirits. Before we were
born on earth, Heavenly Father presented to us the plan of
salvation so we could live on earth and become like him. He
directed the creation of the earth. We pray to Heavenly Father. The
members of the Godhead are three separate personages but that they
work together as one to help us.
Slide 46
He directs the work of Heavenly Father on the earth through
living prophets. Jesus is the head of our Church. In the Old
Testament, Jesus is known as Jehovah or the Lord. Jesus Christ is
the Only Begotten Son of Heavenly Father. He created the earth
under the direction of Heavenly Father.
Slide 47
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected
and have the opportunity to repent and return to Heavenly Father.
We pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
Slide 48
When we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,
which is the right to have his constant help and comfort in our
lives. If we are worthy, Heavenly Father answers our prayers and
speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost speaks in a
still, small voice to our hearts and minds. The Holy Ghost is a
personage of spirit. He does not have a physical body.
Slide 49
Lets review the roles of the three members of the godhead. Im
going to put their titles up on the board. Choose a wordstrip with
a role on it and put it under the correct personage. Enrichment
Activity #4 Holy Ghost Jesus Christ Heavenly Father
Slide 50
Enrichment Activity #4 Heavenly Father Jesus Christ Holy Ghost
Father of our spirits Presented the plan of salvation Directed the
creation of the earth God to whom we pray Savior Jehovah Created
the earth Atoned for our sins Head of the church Perfect example
Still, small voice Comforter Testifier Spirit of truth
Slide 51
The first three of the Ten Commandments given by the Lord to
Moses tell us how we should worship the only true God (see Exodus
20:37). Enrichment Activity #6
Slide 52
Lets read the following commandments: How can following each
commandment help us worship Heavenly Father? Thou shalt have no
other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).
Slide 53
Lets read the following commandments: How can following each
commandment help us worship Heavenly Father? Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the
water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor
serve them (Exodus 20:45).
Slide 54
Lets read the following commandments: How can following each
commandment help us worship Heavenly Father? Thou shalt not take
the name of the Lord thy God in vain (Exodus 20:7).
Slide 55
During his life on earth Jesus Christ summarized the Ten
Commandments into two great commandments, to love God and to love
others. Lets read and discuss the first great commandment: Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment (Matthew 22:3738).
Slide 56
What do all of these commandments tell us about the importance
of worshiping Heavenly Father? Enrichment Activity #6
Slide 57
1. I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true; Lived there
and loved there with people I know. So did you. Then Heavnly Father
presented a beautiful plan, All about earth and eternal salvation
for man. 2. Father said he needed someone who had enough love To
give his life so we all could return there above. There was another
who sought for the honor divine. Jesus said, Father, send me, and
the glory be thine. 3. Jesus was chosen, and as the Messiah he
came, Conquering evil and death through his glorious name, Giving
us hope of a wonderful life yet to be Home in that heaven where
Father is waiting for me. Words and music: Janeen Jacobs Brady, b.
1934 1987 by Janeen Jacobs Brady. This song may be copied for
incidental, noncommercial church or home use. Enrichment Activity
#7
Slide 58
I am grateful for the privilege of worshiping Heavenly Father
and of praying to him. I encourage each of you to decide now to
worship Heavenly Father. I challenge you to beware of worshiping
false gods and to not let anything become more important than
worshiping and obeying Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Slide 59
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